Identify Topographic Identify Topographic Symbols on a Military Symbols on a Military

MapMap

Military Military MapMap

NOT a NOT a military military

mapmap

ColorsColors

BLACKBLACK

Cultural (man-made) features other Cultural (man-made) features other than roadsthan roads

BLUEBLUE

WaterWater

BROWNBROWN

All relief features – contour lines on old All relief features – contour lines on old maps; cultivated land on red-light maps; cultivated land on red-light

readable mapsreadable maps

GREENGREEN

VegetationVegetation

REDRED

Major roads, built-up areas, special Major roads, built-up areas, special features on old mapsfeatures on old maps

RED - BROWNRED - BROWN

All relief features and main roads on All relief features and main roads on red-light readable mapsred-light readable maps

SymbolsSymbols

DrainageDrainage

BlueBlue

These symbols include lakes, streams, rivers, These symbols include lakes, streams, rivers, marshes, swamps, and coastal watersmarshes, swamps, and coastal waters

ReliefRelief

BrownBrown

These features are normally shown by contour These features are normally shown by contour lines. Intermediate contour lines, and form lines. lines. Intermediate contour lines, and form lines. In addition to contour lines, there are relief In addition to contour lines, there are relief symbols to show cuts, levees, sand dunes, ice symbols to show cuts, levees, sand dunes, ice fields, strip mines and glaciers.fields, strip mines and glaciers.

VegetationVegetation

GreenGreen

These symbols include woods, shrub, orchards, These symbols include woods, shrub, orchards, vineyards, tropical grass, mangrove and marshy vineyards, tropical grass, mangrove and marshy areas, or tundraareas, or tundra

RoadsRoads

Red, Black or Red-BrownRed, Black or Red-Brown

These symbols show hard-surface, heavy-duty These symbols show hard-surface, heavy-duty roads; hard surface, medium duty roads; roads; hard surface, medium duty roads; improved light-duty roads; unimproved dirt improved light-duty roads; unimproved dirt roads; and trails. On foreign road maps symbols roads; and trails. On foreign road maps symbols may differ slightly. Check the map legend for may differ slightly. Check the map legend for proper identification of roads.proper identification of roads.

RailroadsRailroads

BlackBlack

These symbols show single-track railroads in These symbols show single-track railroads in operation; single-track railroads not in operation; operation; single-track railroads not in operation; double or multiple-track railroadsdouble or multiple-track railroads

BuildingsBuildings

Black, Yellow, Red or PinkBlack, Yellow, Red or Pink

These symbols show built-up areas, schools, These symbols show built-up areas, schools, churches, ruins, lighthouses, windmills, and churches, ruins, lighthouses, windmills, and cemeteriescemeteries

Identify each object by its shape on the map. For Identify each object by its shape on the map. For example, a black, solid square represents a building example, a black, solid square represents a building or a house; a round or irregular blue item is a lake or or a house; a round or irregular blue item is a lake or a pond.a pond.

Use logic and color to identify each map feature. For Use logic and color to identify each map feature. For example, blue represents water. If you see a symbol example, blue represents water. If you see a symbol that is blue and has clumps of grass, this would be a that is blue and has clumps of grass, this would be a swamp.swamp.

The size of the symbol show the relative size of the The size of the symbol show the relative size of the object. Most symbols are enlarged six to ten times so object. Most symbols are enlarged six to ten times so that you can see them under dim light.that you can see them under dim light.

Use the legend which should identify most of the Use the legend which should identify most of the symbols on the map.symbols on the map.

Identify Marginal Identify Marginal InformationInformation

Top of Map SheetTop of Map Sheet

Top Left Corner – the geographic Top Left Corner – the geographic location covered by the map and the location covered by the map and the scale of the mapscale of the map

Top Left CornerTop Left Corner

Top of Map SheetTop of Map Sheet

Top Center – the name of the map sheetTop Center – the name of the map sheet

Top CenterTop Center

Top of Map SheetTop of Map Sheet

Top Right Corner – the map edition, the Top Right Corner – the map edition, the map series, and the map sheet numbermap series, and the map sheet number

Top Right CornerTop Right Corner

Bottom of Map SheetBottom of Map Sheet

Lower Left Corner – the legend, the Lower Left Corner – the legend, the name of the agency that prepared the name of the agency that prepared the map, the map sheet number, and the map, the map sheet number, and the map sheet name.map sheet name.

Lower Left CornerLower Left Corner

Bottom of Map SheetBottom of Map Sheet

Bottom Center – the bar scales in Bottom Center – the bar scales in meters, yards, miles and nautical miles; meters, yards, miles and nautical miles; the contour interval of the contour lines; the contour interval of the contour lines; the grid reference box; the declination the grid reference box; the declination diagram; and the G-M angle (mils or diagram; and the G-M angle (mils or degrees)degrees)

Bottom CenterBottom Center

Bottom of Map SheetBottom of Map Sheet

Lower Right Corner – the elevation Lower Right Corner – the elevation guide, the adjoining map sheet diagram, guide, the adjoining map sheet diagram, and the boundaries box, which shows and the boundaries box, which shows any boundaries that might be on the any boundaries that might be on the map map

Lower Right CornerLower Right Corner

Any Questions?Any Questions?